I do too and it's not a trend, it's a movement. If teaching and learning are not for you, check out Change.org. There are many causes to support and infinite ways to do it.
Last month I attended the Craigslist Foundation Non-profit Bootcamp in San Mateo. It was a day full of keynote speakers, non-profit vendors, seminars, networking and being inspired. Below I share some of the notes I took (in blue) with my comments and thoughts in black. These are words that impressed me the most, words that I wanted to remember and words that I want to take to heart and share with all of you.
There are 1.5 millions nonprofits in the U.S. That means each organization is competing with 1.499 999 other organizations for donations and support.
Seek first to collaborate and only then to lead. Partnering with other organizations is the best path to rapid growth and we should all look around us and make sure there aren't other organizations doing what we want to do before starting another nonprofit.
We are collectively greater than the sum of our parts. We all share the belief that informed citizens working together can make the world a better place. This is a core statement in support of the mission of Classes for Causes. We believe that connecting people and giving people new ways to give can have positive impacts in the world. Our mission is to enable people to connect and share their passion for causes through teaching and learning, bringing people together to make a positive difference. This week for me has been all about education, connection and collaboration.
Education People need to be educated in order to understand what amending the California Constitution means. People need to be educated about what climate change means to their lives and the lives of their children and grand children. It's not about the environment. It's about you, yes YOU and your children and grand children. People need to be educated to understand that they can make big differences in small ways by collaborating, connecting and working for causes.
Connection I am reading a book called Group Genious and it's all about the power of collaboration and how we associate and build upon each others' ideas. Connecting with other people and embracing collaboration through brainstorming, discussions and simple conversations about ideas fosters innovation. While by ourselves we can dream up interesting concepts, together we can make great things.
Collaboration In Group Genious the author talks about why the Silicon Valley had such great success in such a short time period and one of the key reasons is that the people shared ideas and moved around from company to company sharing secrets with each new job. Group Think is the result of the iterative process. So much of technology is about creating one version and then continuously making improvements to it. Those improvements come from the collaboration between people using the software or product, people testing the the product and developers making adjustments to improve the usability. In the digital world this kind of development process is easy and rapid.
Citizens have a role to play in making our communities better. Act locally. What can you do today that will have a positive effect in your community? One day last year I randomly made chocolate chip cookies and went to some of my neighbors and gave them each a small batch. I had never really spoken to them, but wanted to introduce myself and the cookies seemed like a good idea. I can't tell you how much of an impact that made. My neighbors now know my name and will go out of their way to help me. They also feel more connected to the neighborhood and part of a community. Small things can make a difference.
Understand what your audience’s interests are. Understand what they care about. Meet people where they are. Match people with the right people.
In terms of marketing in general the above four sentences speak volumes. So much depends on our understanding of each other, what we like, what we dislike, what we want, what we don't want and why we do the things we do.
Feeling good and being effective are not the same thing.
Just because it feels good doesn't mean it is having a positive impact. Giving a dollar to a homeless person might feel good, but they might be saving it to buy a bottle of booze. Giving a sandwich to a homeless person actually satisfies their need for food.
My good friend Amit passed along this great site today. They are called Tonic and like Classes for Causes, their goal is also to make it easy for you to do good things. For example, have you ever wondered when someone would create a way to prevent so much junk mail? I certainly have and here's one solution: GreenDimes by Tonic enables you to specify who you wish to receive mail from and who you don't so that you can save a bunch of trees. By using their service you can stop getting up to 90% of your junk mail, save yourself time and save the planet. I've signed up already!
You can also do some holiday and/or birthday gift shopping while being socially conscious - they have some very cool looking T-shirts and bracelets. Or you may want to check out Tonic Events and plan special events to raise money for good causes.
Thanks to Amit! Oh and by the way, Amit is drummer extraordinaire in a cool Israeli band called The Peatot. I heard them in Palo Alto a couple of months ago and they rock.
I gave my students in the Internet Marketing Now the assignment of writing one blog post per day and look what happened. They did the assignment and I did not, since I haven't posted since November 6th. I am both the most delinquent student in the class and also a very proud teacher. My student's blogs are amazing. I am so impressed with the creativity, dedication and time that each person has put into their blog and the assignment. Tomorrow we'll discuss how it's going and how to use a few other tools to spice up the blogs and increase online visibility. I am excited to spend another three hours with the class connecting and collaborating. Oh, and I also promise to post something every day for the rest of the duration of the class, even if it is only four more days.
A couple of weeks ago I was invited to a Green Building - Gourmet Dinner and Discussion hosted by "Chef by Night." I was particularly intrigued by the invitation because I received it through LinkedIn and didn't know the host at all. I was curious about the event, not only because I am interested in anything green, but also because of the unique method of bringing people with similar and diverse backgrounds together for dinner. It's a great case study for my Internet Marketing class as well. <grin>
Ordinarily I would think it would be challenging to get a group of about 20 people together at a stranger's house for dinner, but this event seemed to happen with ease and lots of guest enthusiasm guests. We even helped make the dinner! It was well organized, entertaining and fun and most importantly the food was delicious. They even made a chocolate mouse for dessert which was vegan (I like to think especially for me,) and absolutely delicious.
Peter Kuperman is the owner of QED Benchmark Management by day and a self-titled "Chef by Night" and hosts these dinners once a month around topics that interest him. He invites a special guest to each dinner and this person talks a little about what they do. Tonight's special guest was Kevin Surace of Serious Materials. He was very personable and articulate about the R-rating of windows and where we are heading in terms of climate change. By 2017 things may look very different at the poles and only time will tell what impact that will have on all of us. Kevin said that the building industry hasn't evolved much over the last 100 years because no money has been put into research and development. This is completely the opposite of the information technology sector which has expanded exponentially due to significant funding over the past two decades. My understanding from Kevin is that the building industry as a whole contribute 51% of the carbon emissions due to outdated manufacturing techniques and materials. Compare that to passenger cars in the U.S. which only contribute 9% of emissions and you get an idea of the importance of changing the way we work with the building industry. It's time to demand changes.
There were several very interesting people at the party and I enjoyed meeting Patrick Freeburger, President of BuildFast, a company that won the 2007 California Cleantech Open Google Green Building Prize. His designs and pre-cut panels allow emergency shelters to be built in hours and these structures can be converted to permanent earthquake and typhoon resistant hours in a week. Wow!
I invited my friend Jeremy who is an extraordinary athlete, designer and all-round swell guy to join me and we had a really good time mingling with all the green building industry people. What a treat. I feel honored to have been invited to the event and I am really happy I went. Very big thanks to both Peter Kuperman and his special events manager, Erin Reeser. These two know how to throw a 21st century dinner party.
Left to right: Peter Kupeman, Susan Barnes and Patrick Freeberger
Left to right: Susan Barnes, Meridith Ware, Patrick Freeberger, Amy Anderson and Jeremy Alden
Salmon with Almond butter, Vegetable Quinoa and Salad
Tonight I started teaching another Internet Marketing Now: New Tools and Trends class for SFSU's Integrated Marketing Program. I am always a bit nervous before I start teaching, but when I am in class I have such a wonderful time. I just love all the ideas that the students come up with and the experience of other people enjoying the subject matter is really special.
Teaching is challenging too. There are always different levels of experience in the classroom and different perspectives. I love how much I learn every time I teach and I am so grateful for the opportunity to connect and share with my peers.
As a potential nonprofit I am not allowed to voice opinions about politics. However I can't help but echo the sentiments of our next president elect tonight when he said: "Don't just look out for yourself. Look out for your fellow citizens." Find ways to make a difference. Work for change. It's time for change. It's time to get involved and it's already happening. The numbers of people voting is evidence that we care, we believe in something, we ARE willing to work for something. It's important NOW to take action and Yes We Can. Small contributions do make a difference.
When life gets tough and the economy is rough, it's even more important to find ways to dig deep and find ways to support the causes you believe in.
"All things are possible." Nothing is impossible. Yes we can.
Social bookmarking is a great way to collect and share websites that offer content about what you are teaching. Here's a great tutorial from Lee LeFever on The Common Craft Show about how to use the social networking tool known as delicious. In terms of usefulness it is certainly yummy! Enjoy.
"If you want to win something, run 100 meters. If you want to experience something, run a marathon." Emil Zatopek, Czech legend who won four Olympic gold medals in 1948 and 1952.
Sometimes I feel like life is a marathon. It's easy to do a few sprints here and there, but to really get the most out of life you have to be in it for the experience.
Last year at around this time I canceled a fund raising event due to lack of attendees. It was heartbreaking. I posted the following letter to the people I invited and now I'm here, still in the race. With a year to reflect I know I was being a little ambitious with that magical green bus adventure, but now with 20/20 hindsight I have a much better picture of what it takes to start something and finish strong.
Nov 1, 2007
Dear friends, colleagues and clients,
I regret to inform you that I am canceling the party due to lack of guest availability. I would say lack of interest, but I don't believe it. We are all too busy. It's time to slow down and appreciate what we have. Saturday is just not the night.
There will be another time to celebrate in 2008. In the meantime, please think about what you may want to teach or take a class in and contact me to discuss.
To those who were planning to attend, thank you so much for your interest and support. To those who sent donations, thank you for your generosity and for believing in Classes for Causes. Your checks will be returned so that you can save your money for the next fundraiser. To those who couldn't make it this weekend, you will have another opportunity to party with us next year.
I am a marathon runner, endurance is my game. While it winning isn't everything, finishing injury free and enjoying the race are the goals. This is the right decision.
See you on the treadmill of life, Susan
P.S. "So much of modern culture is characterized by stories of self-indulgence and self-destruction. So much of modern politics is focused not on honest differences of policy but on personal attacks. So much of modern media is dominated by people who earn fortunes by demeaning others, defining them by their worst moments, exploiting their agonies. Who's happier? The uniters or the dividers? The builders or the breakers? The givers or the takers? I think you know the answer. There's a whole world out there that needs you, down the street or across the ocean. Give." -- Bill Clinton at the end of his book: "Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World"
Or Take Back the Tap as Food and Water Watch demands. According to them, bottled water is NOT safer than tap water. The federal government requires far more rigorous and frequent testing of municipal drinking water than bottled water.
Bottled water is more expensive too. Think about how much you spend for that bottle at a ball game, movie theater or even at your local grocery store. At $2.00 per 20 ounce bottle of water, you are paying thousands more than tap water costs.
Americans spent $11 billion on bottled water in 2006, in part because they think it is better or safer than tap water. Every bottle of water you purchase doesn't always go into the recycling bin. It should, yes, but not every consumer is as diligent and green as you are. 90 percent of all plastic water bottles land in the garbage instead of the recycle bin.
What can you do?
Drink tap water
Put tap water into your own refillable water container. I am a big fan of Sigg and CamelBak.
If you are really concerned about the quality of the water, buy a Pur filter at Target and put it on your tap. I use a Brita filter for my water in Emeryville.
I like to shop at Trader Joes. For the most part I like the variety and selection of food they offer and they have a number of items which are favorite and staple in my household. Due to the nature of my personal living and work situations I shop at a few different Trader Joes stores: - Emeryville, San Francisco and recently Rockridge.
Until last week I thought all Trader Joes offered the same products at the same prices. I completely understand that some things at Whole Foods cost more than at Trader Joes and other things at Safeway are sometimes more that TJs too. However I would expect the same product at Trader Joes to have the same price regardless of the store I am in. WRONG!
I like to buy Sam Smith's Organic Ale. It's from Yorkshire, where my parents grew up, and it's a very good beer. It's usually $3.49 at Whole Foods and $2.99 at Trader Joes, so I always buy it at Trader Joes. However, last week at the Rockridge Trader Joes, Sam Smith's Organic Ale was $4.39. That's $1.40 more than other Trader Joes stores. I am very disappointed. I thought Trader Joes was one of the good guys, but they are just trying to make a profit and their shoppers need to be aware of price differences even between stores.
Don't get me wrong. I will pay more for something if I believe that the convenience of buying everything at the same store is worth it. However, charging that much more just because of the upscale neighborhood the store is located in, is not right.
I have been recovering from the Chicago marathon which I ran on October 12th. I ran and raised money for St. Jude Children's Cancer Research and Hospital. There were 45,000 registered participants and $13,000,000 was raised for charity from people who were running for their favorite cause. I raised $1,044 for St. Jude and our team combined raised $137,000. That is a great example of what how one individual can create a bigger impact by asking friends to support a cause whether it be sponsoring a marathon run or teaching a class.
I'm sure the idea for Classes for Causes came to me partly because of my participation with Team in Training. They train athletes to compete in marathons, triathlons, century bike rides and hike-a-thons and raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma research. My experience training for my first marathon with Team in Training was amazing. I absolutely loved it and was very pleasantly surprised by how quickly I was able to raise my fund minimum.
People like to support their friends. It's just like the impact of social media today. People trust their friends and would much rather do business with and give money to their friends than to a stranger. Fund raising through marathon running and other athletic endeavors has figured this out. It's time for us to allow people to teach and learn for causes now as well.
I whole-hearted encourage anyone who has never run a marathon to try it. It's easier than you think. But if you're just not the running type, how about teaching or learning for a cause? Marathon running and teaching have preparation in common. To teach you need to prepare. To run a marathon you need train. (Usually 4 months of training.) And at least for me, the joy in completing a class or a marathon is profound.
I hope that Classes for Causes will help people see that they can teach, they can learn and have fun, and there are many ways to be of service and give. I hope you'll find the right way for you. And I hope you'll try teaching and/or learning with Classes for Causes.
Here are the winners. Congratulations to all of them. In a world where financial donations seem to be declining, it is important to figure out what we can learn from these successful nonprofit organizations.
I see green EVERYWHERE. Everywhere I go there is a new piece of green, from Eco-friendly stores in Berkeley to biodegradable containers being discussed in my marketing class. When I sit down and surf the Internet for ideas I keep running into pro-environment and green technology offerings and it makes me very happy. Take a look at Take Part and the Teach page where study guides are offered. This is amazing. I want to teach a class based on the Study Guide companion to "An Inconvenient Truth."
With all the strange weather occurrences we are seeing, the devastation of Hurricane Ike, much more rain than usual in South Africa where my parents have noticed the weather changes first hand over the past 40 years, I think we're ready for the sequel to "An Inconvenient Truth" and this time it should be about how much progress we've made educating people about the crisis and how much has and has not changed.
I wonder if many of us are not noticing the changes in weather patterns happening because we are such nomads these days. We don't stay in one place for very long and are constantly traveling. Being busy certainly doesn't allow the time to familiarize yourself with weather patterns and the changes that are becoming more and more apparent to those who make it their duty to notice and those who have the time to pay attention. My parents are retired and the weather is something very important to them. They talk about it everyday. How much do you think about how much the weather has changed for you over the past five, ten or twenty years? It's time to take score. Read the warning signs, heed those alerts and do whatever you can to help reverse the damage. It's not too late.
So it's time for us to be thinking about a social network. I've been looking around and decided to try Ning.com as a platform. It's free, it's an experiment and it's out there now, so go ahead and join if you dare. We still need to populate it and there's plenty of work to be done, but hey, participation is the name of the game and we're in it now.
I loved Seth Godin's post about Raising Money for Charity today. Since that's what we're all about here at Classes for Causes, my ears were particularly cocked in his direction. I am very intrigued with his idea and it is just another example of how democractic of a society we have become. If you take a look at the Squidoo page where you can vote to donate $2 to your favorite charity up to $80,000 that Squidoo is giving away, (yes Wow!!!!), you'll see that this is a real project and provides a glimpse into some really worthwhile causes.
Perusing the comments is interesting from an east coast/west coast stand point too, as it seems more people are inclined to vote for March of Dimes and Soldier's Angels than places I gravitate towards like Kiva, Global Giving and Donor's Choose. What does that say about Squidoo users? And what does it say about how much influence your geographic location has on where you donate? What can we learn from this?
The top 5 projects in the American Express Member's Project were announced today. It's good to see a couple that I am a supporter of in the winner's circle. The top 5 are:
One of these projects will get $1.5 million in funding from American Express and the others will share $1 million among them. These organizations have been chosen by American Express members who have voted for these projects out of many submissions. These five are to be congratulated for their hard work and the positive impact that they have on the world. These and all the other projects that were submitted are inspirational to me and I look forward to learning from and sharing in their success.
Yesterday I received a letter from San Francisco Food Bank. Their brochure has some alarming facts about what it means to live in San Francisco. I'm sure you can learn all about it on their website, but I want to share it here as well:
Rental prices in San Francisco are up 12% in the last 6 months. Food prices are up over last year and San Francisco has the third highest gas prices in the county.
The cost of living in San Francisco is 46% above the national average.
The San Francisco Food Bank feeds over 132,000 people per year.
60% of families using a Food Bank pantry have a least one employed adult in their household.
Seniors who use a Food Bank pantry have an average monthly income of $933
Every $1 donated to the San Francisco Food Bank provides $9 worth of food
I'm betting you're one of the lucky people who can afford to support this worthy cause. Consider a gift to the San Francisco Food Bank and consider teaching for this cause.
"No matter how much or how little money you have in your pocket, or the amount of free time in your week, or your talents and interests, you can do something to improve the lives of others, and in so doing, strengthen the fabric of our shared humanity. That is what CGI is all about." -- Bill Clinton about the Clinton Global Initiative
That is what Classes for Causes is all about too. As an instructor you can share your skills and knowledge with others, connect with people interested in your subject and also contribute to doing something that will improve the lives of others. Do you believe in shared humanity? I do. I believe we can all pitch in and make a difference.
Isabel pointed me to Google's Project 10^100 for their 10th anniversary and is encouraging Classes for Causes, Inc. to apply. What do you think? Do we have a chance? Are we making a difference? My vision for the company is that we will.
If you could suggest a unique idea that would help as many people as possible, what would it be?
On Saturday I ran 20 miles as part of my Chicago Marathon training. I ran with Club Run SF and we started at Little Marina Green in San Francisco. The route for the run was along the bay, past PIER 39 under the Bay Bridge and past the ballpark. (That's 6 miles.) Then we turned around at Mariposa street, ran back to the marina and then along Crissy Field to Hopper's Hands at the Golden Gate Bridge. I need to do four more miles that the others in the group, so I did a solo run across the Golden Gate Bridge and back to the starting point. It was a perfect day for running and I felt fabulous afterwards. All that oxygen plus an ice cold dip in the bay for 20 minutes (1 minute for every mile) was really refreshing.
Along Crissy Field and at PIER 39 there are various globes decorated differently. I have been wondering what these were and finally discovered that they are part of the Cool Globes project, which is project established to raise awareness about gloabl warming and to inspire individuals and community leaders to embrace solutions. Cool, huh?!
Even cooler is the wealth of information the website offers about how we can all contribute to the cause. Check out "top tips." My top five are:
Go Vegan
Buy Organic
Recycle!
Keep up the pressure
Bag Your Own
and there are many more that are all very easy to do if you just think a little and act with intent.
Need a lesson plan to teach your kids or kids at heart about Global Warming? You're in luck there too: See the Cool Globes Lesson Plan!
Go to Crissy Field and check out the globes they are much much cooler than global warming!
Today is my birthday and I turned 36. A special friend sent me and email explaining the significance of my new age and I think it's amazing. Take a look.
The California Academy of Sciences opens it's doors September 27th after several years of construction. The newest feather in San Francisco's green cap, the Academy contains a planetarium, aquarium, and natural history museum, under one Living Roof. It's also platinumLEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified and leading by example in it's commitment to sustainability. Featuring solar panels, radiant subfloor heating, water reclamation, and a host of green practices, the California Academy of Sciences is a bastion of green leadership. The Moss Room restaurant even features local, organic and seasonal ingredients.
With the mission of exploring, explaining and protecting the natural world, this is definitely a cause worth supporting. I can't wait to visit. The website even provides directions by Spacecraft!
55 Music Concourse Dr. (415-379-8000). Admission, $15-$25.
"The biggest conference on green innovation" is happening Sep 25 - 27 in San Jose. If you mean green just like you mean business, then this show is for you.
Homeowner Day; Sep. 27, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.); 408 Almaden Blvd., San Jose (800-724-4880). Homeowner day pass, $20; with admission to Al Gore's keynote address, $84.
If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts he shall end in certainties. - Sir Francis Bacon
Crosby, Stills and Nash gave us this timeless classic and the lyrics continue to ring true.
You, who are on the road Must have a code that you can live by And so become yourself Because the past is just a good bye. Teach your children well, Their father's hell did slowly go by, And feed them on your dreams The one they picked, The one you'll know by. Don't you ever ask them why, If they told you, You will cry, So just look at them & sigh And know they love you. And you, of tender years, Can't know the fears That your elders grew by, And so please help them with your youth, They seek the truth, before they can die. Teach your parents well, Their children's hell, Will slowly go by, And feed them on your dreams The one they picked, The one you'll know by. Don't you ever ask them why, If they told you, You will cry, So just look at them & sigh And know they love you.
A while ago I posted this about Dine Out America. It's a good reason to dine out and work towards solving children's hunger in America. If we can solve it here, we can solve it in other countries of the world as well. Here's a little more about what Share Our Strength is up to. They believe that "everyone has the strength to share." I love that because it emphasizes my belief that Classes for Causes teachers can share their strengths for causes like this and many others.
Mahatma Gandhi's quote "Be the change you wish to see in the world" is one of my favorites, and that's why I like bethechange.org which led me to helpothers.org. Help Others is about sharing stories about acts of kindness and provides ideas for how to be kind. Whenever I do something kind I feel good. The action may be small, but the feeling is huge and showing someone you care is always important. Another of Gandhi's quotes is "Whatever you do will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it."
We teach what we like to learn and the reason many people go into teaching is vicariously to reexperience the primary joy experienced the first time they learned something they loved.
-- Stephen Brookfield
What do you love? What do you want to learn? What would you love to teach?
Teaching is always better when the students are participating in the learning experience instead of just listening. I hadn't heard of power teaching until today, but I think it's a great way to encourage participation, increase engagement and ultimately help the students learn. Take a look at this video to see what's it's all about.
Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world.
-- Albert Einstein
Imagine what you could do if you thought you could never fail. Imagine what you could accomplish with the help of a few people who believed in you. Imagine how wonderful life could be if everyone imagined a beautiful world. Imagine peace. Imagine the end of hunger. Imagine diversity. Imagine environmental conservation. Imagine freedom. Imagine education for all. Imagine solutions. Imagine love. Be creative and imagine ways you can be the change you wish to see in the world.
My colleague, Ellen was telling me about a talk she went to the other night where the speaker was clearly very knowledgeable in the field of sustainable fishing. Ellen didn't really enjoy the talk however, because she didn't come away with any clear ideas on what fish to eat or not eat and how to be more conscious of sustainability when it comes to eating fish. The speaker told the audience that the web has plenty of information and to go and do some research. Sounds plausible enough if you are really interested in the subject, but if you just want someone to tell you what to do, you'd feel you'd been left hanging too.
This got me thinking about the way I teach and how I make my students explore websites to find answers to questions about the subject matter I'm teaching. Perhaps that's not the best way to do it. I do think you learn more if you do the research yourself, and while I am a nurturing kind of teacher, I don't believe in spoon feeding. However, it's important to remember that there are many different kinds of learners and students in every class and you have to have be a little IKEA like and have something for everyone.
For the students that just want the facts, include a checklist or bulleted list of action steps or tips for success. For the learners that are a bit more curious, provide assignments or challenges for "extra credit," (even though you know C4C classes are not for credit,) where the students can go and find the answers to your carefully planned questions through their own investigation and collaboration with other students.
A good cellist friend of mine once told me that you're only nervous if you are unprepared. "If you feel prepared you won't feel nervous." Said another way, planning is the path to success or failing to prepare is preparing to fail.
Be respectful to your students and they will respect you and probably learn more too. You'll get more bees (or A's) with honey than with vinegar!
At our most recent board meeting, (a very exciting strategic planning evening,) we discussed that we'd like to partner with other organizations who can help us to make sure the money being donated through Classes for Causes is getting the maximum benefit to the cause. Charity Navigator is an excellent site for researching and staying on top of the facts about where your money goes when you are donating to a particular nonprofit. Take a look at the 6 Questions to Ask Before You Donate page and see whether the charity you are supporting is the most appropriate for the cause you believe in.
I'm reading Three Cups of Tea - One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin right now and although I have barely started, I am loving it. That's also how I feel about Classes for Causes. While I feel like I have been trying to make it happen for a long time, I also know that I have barely started and I am loving it.
Tonight, the board of directors met for a strategic planning meeting and it was a meeting of true collaborative spirit sparking new ideas, addressing issues and finding ways to move forward. Serving on the board is certainly a learning experience and we have only just begun.
I love quotes and Three Cups of Tea starts every chapter with a quote. Chapter 3 is titled "Progress and Perfection" which is fitting as we are making progress and aiming for perfection even though it seems a long way off. The quote for the chapter is one from another book, a conversation between Sir Edmund Hillary and Urkien Sherpa, from Schoolhouse in the Clouds.
"Tell us, if there were one thing we could do for your village, what would it be?" "With all respect, Sahib, you have little to teach us in strength and toughness. And we don't envy you your restless spirits. Perhaps we are happier than you? But we would like our children to go to school. Of all the things you have, learning is the one we most desire for our children."
Three Cups of Tea is a winner of the Kiriyama Prize. I am honored to have taught Jeanine Stronarch, who is the Prize Manager for the Kiriyama Prize and after starting the book, I have a much better understanding of Jeanine's work and the incredible books she gets to read in order to award prizes. The quality of the writing and storytelling in Three Cups of Tea is absolutely award winning in my opinion and I look forward to more recommendations from The Kiriyama Prize. Thanks to Jeanine and her team.
Yesterday I hiked from Tenaya Lake to Clouds Rest in the high sierra of Yosemite National Park. It's a 14.4 mile round trip day hike with a 1,700 foot elevation gain. Yes, that's a lot. We completed the hike in five and a half hours including stopping for lunch at the top. The views from Clouds Rest are amazing, in fact I am not surprised the clouds rest there, anything and anyone getting to that height needs a rest. It is a well deserved rest, but well worth the climb too. Wow! What a spectacular view on a clear day.
Doing things like this helps me remember who I am. It helps me realize my place in the universe and how lucky I am to be able to experience the earth's magnificence. That's why we need to keep going in the fight against global warming. Keep going in the fight for environmental conservation. Keep going in the fight for social justice and keep going in advocacy for all people who need our help. Let's come together and protect our beautiful environment and all the special people who live in it. Life is short, let's keep (it) going.
Today I went to a memorial service for a client who passed away suddenly over the weekend. It was 100 degrees in San Anselmo, California and the church was packed full of friends and family. This was a woman who was so loved and respected by everyone she knew. It was a very sad service, but I know she knows she lived her life well and completely.
Although she was a perfectionist herself, she was never judgmental of others and always showed a lot of respect to me and my work. She would also always ask me how my running was going and congratulate me on my musical endeavors. She was driven, determined and strong, yet also one of the kindest, most generous and genuine people I have ever met. She will be sorely missed by her family, friends, coworkers, colleagues, clients, vendors and ALL who had the pleasure of working with her and knowing her as a friend.
She taught many people what it means to truly live, love and respect others. Through her sudden departure, I have a new understanding of what it means to be alive and loved.
Work like you don't need the money. Love like you've never been hurt before. Dance like no one is looking.
Sing like no one is listening. Live like there is no tomorrow. Thank everyone you know for being in your life. Remember you are lucky. Smile.
Rest in Peace, Alicia. Thank you for everything. I am grateful that I knew you. You taught me more than you'll ever know.
"People all over the world will respond better to the power of example than the example of power." -- Bill Clinton (in his speech to the Democratic National Convention tonight.)
Teaching with the power of example is always better than teaching with the example of power. We encourage our teachers to use examples in their classes because it's much easier to understand something if you have an example to reflect upon. Classes for Causes teachers are examples of socially conscious individuals who are humble, sharing and giving.
Tonight I went to my first Young Nonprofit Professionals Network meeting and it was excellent. The event was called "Movin' On Up: Strategies for Upward Mobility in Nonprofits" about how to move up in your career in the nonprofit sector. While I felt a little out of place being there as someone just starting a nonprofit organization and not climbing the proverbial nonprofit ladder per se, I learned a lot from the panelists and was inspired by the enthusiasm and energy from everyone in the room.
I'm guilty of being pleasantly surprised by the level of organization and professionalism that was portrayed at the event and I was inspired by the panelists. They were Julia Love, Associate Director of The Volunteer Center, serving San Francisco and San Mateo Counties, Laura Guzman, Director of the Mission Neighborhood Resource Center (MNRC), a collaborative project of the Mission Neighborhood Health Center in the Mission District of San Francisco, serving homeless adults living on the streets, in shelters, and SRO hotels, and Nelson Layag, Projects Director of CompassPoint, Silicon Valley. All three of the panelists gave real examples of how they moved forward in their careers and many of their tips included advice that anyone would be wise to follow, regardless of whether you are working in the nonprofit or for profit sector.
Some of the things I took away from the discussion were:
An MBA is not necessarily going to get you a better job, although the credential maybe useful as leverage.
Board service is an excellent way to learn how to manage a business - any business, for profit or nonprofit. So go and join a board, or better yet, come and serve on ours.
Most of the work is done by the team. A good director is always proud of her/his team, because she/he has empowered them to succeed. (Teach people to fish.)
Be the best advocate you can be.
Ask yourself "What is my passion?" and "What do I do best?" "What do I want right now?" and "What do I want next?"
Look for gaps and fill them - offer to help wherever you can.
Get the experience and have CURIOSITY. Ask questions. Be curious. Be the change you want to see.
Be passionate about your talent.
Be open to mentoring and seek mentors.
Be BOLD!
Talk about your transferable skills.
Your weaknesses are as important as your strengths. What is hard for you is important to share with a potential employer. They will want to know how you overcome those challenges.
Be very human. (I know someone who will like this one very much!)
Get a good grant writer or be a good grant writer.
Be aware of the way others are perceiving you. Seek coaching on your weaknesses.
In addition to all of that I met a few wonderful people who I hope to connect with again at the next meeting and/or via email. Several of the committee hosting the event worked at the Women's Initiative and I am not surprised by their level of professionalism, honesty, energy and collaborative spirit. WI really knows how to hire. Everyone I have met who has worked there or volunteered has a person of the highest calibre. These are people I feel very fortunate to know. Thanks to Women's Initiative for your work and thanks to YNPNsf.org for hosting these events.
Imagine the day when teachers are viewed as the key to human welfare. These people have this vision and so do I. Teachers can help people help themselves. Teachers can instill confidence. Teachers empower people to think and think big. Teachers inspire. Teachers share. Teachers lead. Teachers make a difference.
At our first board meeting a question came up about the minimum age requirement for instructors. Now I'm sure we'll have some chess geniuses and teenage entrepreneurs dying to teach classes, but according to stopchildlabor.org, a minor must be at least 16 to work in California. Different states have different limits. However, are these minors working or volunteering? I would bet most C4C instructors consider themselves volunteers.
To clarify, though, anyone under 18 wishing to teach a class should please contact us. We will want to chat with your parents and confirm we have their consent. Afterall, we don't want your teaching to interfere with your learning (even though it will likely make you a better student.) School comes first.
I am so excited about the wave of enthusiasm I am seeing and hearing everywhere for buying local and organic produce and supporting sustainable food production. I was just listening to an excellent Commonwealth Club discussion about The Centralization of the Food System and I am sorry to be missing the Slow Food Nation Festival next weekend. Be sure to buy your tickets if you haven't already! Saturday and Sunday morning are SOLD OUT already! I'm sure it's going to be a blast. (I will be having my own slow food with a lot of solitude party in the mountains after attending a wedding in Santa Cruz.)
A couple of weeks ago I had dinner with my friend Amy in San Francisco and she said we should go an buy produce from her local produce store and cook at her house. She lives in Noe Valley, which is a pretty nice part of San Francsico so I was expecting the produce market to be suitably swank and similarly priced. When we were in the store, Amy said to me "You're not going to believe how much this is going to cost," and of course I was thinking in Whole Foods Market terms and said, "Oh I'm sure I won't be surprised." I prefer to buy organic and local whenever possible and often that means "Whole Paycheck." We bought red onions, garlic, peppers, peaches, nectarines, the best strawberries I've ever had, spring mix, arugula, a pear, chick peas, feta cheese, avocado, a baguette and salad dressing and can you guess how much it was?
Well, I don't know about you, but I was totally taken aback when the total was less than $20. I really thought the cashier had made a mistake. I asked Amy how it was possible and she explained that all the produce is local to the Bay Area and that's why it's so fabulously priced. Of course we may not have been buying all organic produce, but local is almost as good. So.... support your local farmers and eat food that is in season. Not only will you feel good, physically and mentally, your pocketbook will thank you too.
Jennifer (programmer extraordinaire, and secretary for C4C) recently started a subscription to CSA. Since she is a real foodie, she is loving it and also twittering about all the new recipes she is trying, which I assume are from CSA. What is CSA? (No, it's not CSI!) It's Community Supported Agriculture, aka Local Harvest.
Tonight was our first board meeting and I can't tell you how excited and inspired I am. Our directors bring fresh ideas and a level of enthusiasm for the project that I am extremely grateful for. I anticipate a lot of momentum being created by the communications team over the next few weeks. Hooray!
We're off to a great start and being small makes us nimble and agile. Watch for a board of directors page coming to the site soon and for activities to start heating up in terms of outreach, fund-raising, awareness and public relations.
Want to teach a class? Have a class you would like to have offered? Suggestions? Your comments are welcome. We're all ears!
Our first board meeting for C4C is tomorrow and I have been looking at the financials this evening. I'm very excited about the meeting and introducing some of our terrific board members to each other. We're a diverse group from two states and two countries so far, well three if you count my country of birth. We need a few more good men on the board, so if you're of the male variety and interested in what we're up to, please give me a shout. Also, if you know anyone who might be interested, please send them my way as well.
One of my favorite sayings is: "Two minds are better than a guru." I don't remember who said it, and I'm not pretending to be a guru, but I am excited for the meeting of the minds that will be the engine of Classes for Causes.
I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can. The train is getting ready to leave the station and you should come along for the ride. It'll not only be an interesting adventure, but you may even learn something along the way.
I've been learning a lot about Meetup.com recently. With 5 million monthly visitors, 4.7 million members and 102,000 meetups in 3601 cities, they must be doing something right! Yes, Wow! I am inspired by their success because they offer similar services to Classes for Causes. Meetup enables people to get together around common interests.
Specifically, Meetup's mission is to revitalize local community and help people around the world self-organize. Meetup believes that people can change their personal world, or the whole world, by organizing themselves into groups that are powerful enough to make a difference.
They are certainly revitalizing local community and helping people self-organize. Then they leave it up to people to choose to make a difference.
Classes for Causes mission is to bring people together around common interests through teaching, learning and giving. Our goal is to grow communities while nurturing causes.
The aim is to provide an alternative way to connect, learn new skills and make a difference to a cause chosen by the instructor. In this way instructors are building awareness for and offering financial support to great causes. Students get to learn subjects from passionate people and know that their money is going to a good cause.
I know that our Classes for Causes instructors and students will shape the future of the organization and I believe that together we will make positive impacts on many worthy causes. I can't wait to get started, can you?
"The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live." --- Morris Adler
Tonight I watched the Women's Marathon race in the Beijing Olympics. It was an exciting race with Liz Yelling from Britain leading the first half and Romania's 38 year old, Constantina Tomescu-Dita holding a strong lead from about mile 15 to the end. Since I have run four marathons in the last three years, I understand the some of the pain, endurance and sheer courage it takes to complete the race. Finishing in 2 hours and 26 minutes is another story all together - absolutely amazing. I am in awe of anyone who can finish the marathon in less than 3 and a half hours. (My personal best is 3 hours 57 minutes.)
Tomescu-Dita is only a few years older than me, but they are already saying this was likely her last chance for an Olympic Gold. With Dara Torres still winning medals at 41, I'd be willing to bet Tomescu-Dita will be back, however I realize at some point the body does age and can't compete with the natural suppleness and strength of the youthful physique.
That's why it's important to continue growing and pushing yourself mentally through learning. The mind is a sponge that can continuously absorb and process information. It needs to be exercised just like any muscle of the body and fueled with the best nutrients. I believe education, learning new things and continuing to extend the amount you know and are skilled at is the way to exercise your mind. And connecting with people and sharing your knowledge and perspective is the same as the nutrition or fuel for the professional athlete.
When I am running a marathon, one of my mantras is "Just don't stop." When I am running in the treadmill of life, it's the same. If living is learning, there is no other option. Just don't stop.
Last week I gave my students an assignment to comment on three blogs that were not blogs of fellow classmates. One of the students started a conversation about a great idea he had with a well-respected blogger in the cleantech field and another got responses back from doctors at Havard and Kaiser! It's a small world when you're in the blogosphere and it just goes to show you that if you reach out and ask the question, you might be surprised by the response you get.
It's our last class tomorrow and I was so busy preparing for the class tonight, I almost forgot to post to the blog. (Oh dear!) The other assignment for the two week course was for each student to post to their blog everyday. Tomorrow we'll see how they did and who continues the assignment after the course is over. Teaching is fun. You should try it. See you in class.
I have taught classes for San Francisco State University's Multimedia Studies Program and Integrated Marketing Program both online and in person. While I have more experience teaching online, I believe the students get more out of the live classes.
I met someone at a party last week who told me that The Learning Annex is no longer offering live classes. They used to offer live classes everywhere and they had a whole free catalog dedicated to advertising the classes. Well, most of their classes are now online. While this may be more cost effective from the standpoint of being able to appeal to a greater geographic demographic, there is a trade-off in that online doesn't easily facilitate personal connections and the friendships and conversations that are started in the live environment.
Don't get me wrong. We are going to be offering both online and live classes at C4C, but I hope that the local community aspect of the classes will inspire friendships and spark new communities and groups to come together around common beliefs and interests. Connections and conversations are what make people think, feel, love and share. Connect, collaborate, contribute.
A few weeks ago I blogged about a couple of ideas I had while running in "Ideas on the run." I found a contact name for Disk Golf and emailed the person on the site to ask whether he would consider teaching a class or refer me to someone who might. I didn't hear from him for about 10 days, so I sent a quick email again to make sure he received the first email, wanting to make sure it didn't get lost in a spam filter or something.
Well today I heard back from the man and he said was going to forward my email to a couple of people who might be interested. He said he really liked the concept of the non-profit and wanted to help. How about that?
Watching Michael Phelps' exuberation and pride at winning his races in the Olympics and knowing how hard he worked to get where he is today, is an example of persistence, patience and perseverance. Michael is showing us all how it's done and while my victory today is small in comparison, receiving the email from the disk golf man made me feel like I had won a gold.
The lesson learned: Never, never, never, never, never give up as Churchill says, and remember that just because someone doesn't respond to an email, doesn't mean they didn't want to. Sometimes a gentle reminder is appreciated. Give people the benefit of the doubt. Believe in yourself and believe your dreams. Together those things will take you anywhere you want to go.
Keep both feet on the ground and reach for the stars. -- Casey Kasem
The main things which seem to me important on their own account, and not merely as means to other things, are knowledge, art, instinctive happiness, and relations of friendship or affection. - Bertrand Russell
I've been watching a little of the Olympics and was inspired by Dara Torres. She is a 41 year-old mother of a 2 year-old daughter and she just won a silver medal in the women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay yesterday.
Dara says:
"For anyone who feels stifled or stuck in their life, I say break down those barriers of indecision. Never let anyone set your personal or professional agenda. Live every day with the passion of your last. If I can inspire both women and men in anything it would be that age is just a number, not a death sentence. Wake up every morning with a plan and a dream. If you do, like me, dreams do still come true in your 40s and beyond!"
From the human interest story on NBC Sunday, Dara seems like a great mother, friend and role model. Doesn't that smile and her quote above say "instinctively happy" to you?
On Friday night instead of watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics, (scandalous!) I went to a party to hear a live performance of Mendelssohn's String Octet. I met Michael there (thanks, Daniel) and he was overflowing with enthusiasm about a great writing class he is taking right now. I just love to hear an inspired student promote a class, so I am thrilled to share Ripe Fruit School of Creative Writing with you. Michael is having a blast in the class and learning to find his style. Now I am thinking about taking a class not only to learn how to write better, but also to see how teaching out of your living room really works. Afterall lots of C4C classes are going to start off that way! Live and learn. Learn and live. Teach, learn, live and give.
Yesterday I met a wonderful lady for coffee at Crossroads Cafe - a Delancy Street Foundation project. I feel very lucky to have been introduced to this lady, because she is very energetic and interested in being on C4C's board of directors. (A big thanks for Amit for the referral!)
In addition to being overjoyed at recruiting another member of the board, I was inspired by the Delancy Street Foundation's mission and story. This is a place where ex-convicts and ex-addicts are accepted into a two year program where they learn to be teachers, general contractors, truck drivers, chefs, and contributing members of society.
What seemed like and impossible challenge has been proven possible. They're doing it and it looks like they're doing really well. Read the description on the home page. It is such an inspiring story. For over 35 years The Delancy Street Foundation has been developing a model of social entrepreneurship, of education, of rehabilitation and change that is exciting and full of hope.
The cafe is spacious and my garden green tea was excellent. It's a great place to grab a coffee, snack or lunch and it's also a potential venue for holding classes. So instructors, if you need help finding the perfect space to hold your class, consider the Crossroads Cafe.
Today while looking for something to do in Santa Cruz for a weekend trip coming up, I found Adventure Out, a company that teaches surfing, rock climbing and all kinds of outdoors fun! In addition to my admiration for their school and focus on the outdoors, I noticed a little logo in the corner of their website saying 1% For the Planet. Now call me melancholic, but things like this make me cry. I am so inspired by companies that want to give back to the environment. It is so wonderful to see this kind of philanthropy in action.
I hope that one day Classes for Causes will be able to join 1% For the Planet, because really where are we without the wonders of nature, clean drinking water and the fresh air we breath? And if your company is doing well, I encourage you to look into joining 1%FTP. (The idea for Classes for Causes was conceived out of a need to do something for the planet, so the 1%FTP concept is very special to me. My dream is to launch C4C and let people start teaching, learning and giving to causes for our planet and all the other causes that inspire us to and need our support.)
Do you have similar organizations to 1% For the Planet to share? Thanks.
This came in from IdealBite today - I love them. I have been waiting for a company to start green printing services and here it is right on our doorstep: Take a look at GreenPostcards.com Complete with soy colors, digital printing, 100% wind-power operation and deliveries via Prius! What's not to love about that. I can't wait to get my samples.
It's time to submit your ideas to American Express' Member's Project again. "Your ideas. Your decision. [Their] money." They will spend 2.5 million dollars on the projects voted the best to make a positive impact on the world.
Last year's winner brought safe drinking water to millions of children in Africa. The finalists included an educational project called "Teachers Ask. You Choose. Students Learn." That certainly sounds exciting to me. Check out the videos and see what it's all about, then submit your ideas. Shake up this world. Together we can make a positive impact.
They say what you resist persists and what I'm resisting is asking for help. So here goes: Would you be interested in being on the board of directors for Classes for Causes?
What is Classes for Causes?
Classes for Causes, Inc. is a non-profit organization created to facilitate fund raising for charitable organizations through teaching and learning. Anyone can sign up to teach a class and the money raised from the tuition for the class goes to the charity of the instructor’s choice.
Classes for Causes was created in July 2007 and incorporated by the State of California as a non-profit business in April 2008. We are currently in the process of applying for Federal 501(c)(3) status, which is the non-profit designation as determined by the Federal government. The application process takes 6 to 9 months and we are right at the beginning of it, so it will be a while before we get the determination letter.
Our goal for the board of directors is to create a diverse group of people who bring different assets to the organization.
What is required of a board member?
Attend one board meeting per month. The commitment is for one year from the date of your appointment.
The agenda for each board meeting will be emailed or mailed to each board member one week prior to each meeting. Board meetings are tentatively scheduled for the second Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. of every month.
If you are interested please contact me - susan at classesforcauses dot org. THANKS!
Thanks Matthew for teaching me something and for sharing your enthusiasm with the class. I completely agree with your concept of the 4th generation of social networks completing the cycle and bringing people back together. In fact that is the mission of Classes for Causes:
Our mission is to bring people together around common interests through teaching, learning and giving.
The more I teach, the more I learn. The more I give, the more I receive. So, as my good buddy Indiana in Madrid says, "Get after it!"
Anyone interested in teaching snowboarding, skiing or Requiems?
Tonight I started teaching another class at SFSU. I am always nervous for a few days before the class starts and always inpired by the learning process, the students, and the enthusiasm that I feel during class. Teaching is a great way to share ideas. It's not just about telling people what you know, but also about learning from your students. Once again I am inspired by the ideas and raw energy that the students exude. I am honored to teach and appreciate the opportunity to share and collaborate with like-minded peers.
In a world where so much of our time is spent staring at computer screens, typing and communicating virtually, the physical and personal connections are so much more valuable and important. Thanks to my students for reminding me of that.
On another note, this is the first time I have used a wiki for teaching and I am excited to see how it works. (I'm using Wetpaint because it is free and I learned about it by reading The Age of Engage by Denise Shiffman - see http://www.ageofengage.com) If it goes well I may consider offering and/or recommending it for Classes for Causes instructors. (There were certainly a few growing pains this evening, but the students graciously worked with me make everything right.) My lesson learned this evening: Treat people kindly and you will be treated with kindness.
iTunes U looks like it could be a great place to learn, both as student and teacher. I love podcasts and can't think of a better way to disseminate current academic knowledge than through that medium. There are already a lot of really great courses offered and I plan on taking a few...
Time Management by Randy Pausch (Carnegie Mellon University)
However I can't help wonder whether the isolation from other students will have an impact on the learning. It is absolutely possible to learn by reading and listening by yourself, but there is also a ton of value in sharing your thoughts, ideas and problems with others. Collaboration and connectivity are key at Classes for Causes and that's what we're going to focus on - the personal connection with other students and instructions. And that can happen whether the course is LIVE or online.
What courses are you or should I say: are U interested in taking (at iTunes U and/or C4C)?
Viewed more than 5 million times on YouTube already, my friend and colleague, Ellen told me about this movie yesterday and I stayed up way past my bedtime to watch it. It's more than an hour in length and worth it.
If you are faced with a brick wall it is there for a reason - to see how badly you really want that thing that is on the other side of it. Nothing impossible.
Last night I had dinner with some old friends. I hadn't seem them in a few years, probably six to be more accurate. Their son was turning 28 and I hadn't seen him since he was 22. He was all grown up and I was proud to see what a gracious, polite and beautiful young man he has become. I was quite taken aback, but I shouldn't have been. This young man is the product of two very special people. A mother and father who have shown him how to love, how to respect, how to be happy and it really shows. They lead by example and their kid turned out all right. I am honored to be associated with these people and grateful that even after six years of very little contact, the love, respect and friendship is still there. Sometimes you don't know how lucky you are until you let go of something, fly away from it for a while and then come back and take hold of it again. Life is beautiful. Today I am grateful.
your students are here to learn from you and they respect you
you don't have to know everything about your subject, but you might want to know where to find the answers to those tricky questions. Students are usually fine to wait a little while for the answer even if you have to Google it and get back to them later. ;-)
you are teaching because you love what you are teaching
let your passion show
this is fun
this is YOUR class for YOUR cause and the more you put into it, the more you'll get out of it
you may learn more from teaching that what you actually teach
to really know something is to teach it
you are making a difference
your are building awareness for a worthy cause
we are proud of you
In class, it helps to:
split the lesson up into small chunks interspersed with different group activities
engage the students by encouraging questions and participation in discussion
be funny
look into the eyes of the student who is asking a question and when you have finished providing your answer, check in with the person that their question has been answered
speak clearly and loudly
check to make sure everyone can hear you
create an agenda for the class so that you can follow a roadmap
know what you are going to talk about
improvise
tell a story
use props
practice your lesson plan
feel confident
know that this is a warm and loving environment and we are all friends here
I am training for the Chicago Marathon which takes place on October 12th, 2008. I am raising money for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, so watch this space for donation requests soon! ;-) Training for a marathon requires running several times a week and putting in lots of miles. Yesterday I ran 7 miles from my apartment to Aquatic Park in Berkeley and then along the beautiful Emeryville shoreline to make a loop back to the starting point.
One of the things I love about Aquatic Park is that there is a Disk Golf (frisbee golf) course there. It's so cool. I see people playing gold with frisbees and they are really into it. This kind of passion is what we're all about at Classes for Causes, so I had an idea to see if I can find a Disk Golf instructor for Classes for Causes. Well, I googled "frisbee golf aquatic park" and found a link to the East Bay Disk Golf Club. I found a contact name and have sent an email to see if I can find a disk golf instructor for Classes for Causes. Wouldn't that be the one of the coolest classes? (You know I think all of the classes are cool, right?)
Another random sighting and spark for an idea for a class is the Golden Gate Badminton Club which seems to have just opened in Emeryville. (They have another location in Menlo Park, so it looks like Badminton is taking off!) I will contact them to see if they are interested in offering a class as well.
Two years ago this weekend I went to see An Inconvenient Truth and I was deeply moved by the message. Immediately I wanted to do something about the challenges global warming presents. At that time I didn't know what to do, but I did sign up to be try to become a presenter on Al Gore's team of 1,000 presenters in The Climate Project. Well I didn't get chosen to be an honored presenter, but I have been determined to do something towards protecting our beautiful planet ever since. The movie was never-the-less instrumental in my conception of Classes for Causes and I expect that some of the classes that are taught by our instructors will benefit causes that are pro environmental, air quality and green causes.
"People should eat less meat," says R. K. Pachauri, "if everyone at 20% less meat in the United States it would be like everyone switching to a hybrid vehicle." Ray Lane said solar energy is the silver bullet. What do you think? Your comments are ALWAYS welcome! Check out that archives page of the Commonwealth Club, which has many very interesting presentations available to hear and you don't even need to be a Commonwealth Club member - yes, that's right they're FREE! I have just listened to the broadcast in my own time through the Internet and I recommend it for anyone interested in a current perspective on climate change today. We're anticipating being able to offer a presentation from The Climate Project through Classes for Causes one day and it will be a great honor. In the meantime, there are several opportunities to attend a presentation globally and for all our local Bay Area friends, several presentations are happening in October 2008 at various libraries in San Francisco.
It's official! We now have a federal tax ID and EIN and the state of California recognizes Classes for Causes, Inc. as a business. The next step is to file for 501(c)(3) status and that may take a while, but in the meantime we can get our bank account and start the credit card processing service. We're starting with PayPal and will add other capabilties as needed. Step by step we're moving closer to launching. If you know of anyone who would like to teach a class, please send an email or register as an instructor on the site.
Thank you for your support and interest in Classes for Causes. Create Connect Contribute. Learn, Love, and Give.
Last night I taught the Social Media session of my Internet Marketing Now: New Tools & Trends course for SFSU's Integrated Marketing Program. After class one of the students I have the privilege of working with told me he had Googled me and found Classes for Causes. He said he was really interested in the concept and that he was going to follow it. Thanks for believing in the idea, Karolo. I look forward to your participation teaching, learning and being a cause we support.
Karolo is the Development Director at International Rivers. They protect rivers and defend the rights of communities that depend on them. They're right: We all live downstream. Support this cause.
Thanks to Amy for sharing The Lorax and inspiring us to be childlike again. Dr. Seuss on a Saturday morning - What could be better? After you have watched The Lorax, you'll know the answer.
I am about to start teaching my Internet Marketing Now course and am doing research on what new things to include in the course. Another great YouTube video from Michael Wesch at Kansas State University inspires me to think about how we'll be teaching and learning in the future of 5 to 10 years from now.
Check it out in A Vision of Students Today. Even though the video was first posted a year ago, it's still relevant. It brought tears to my eyes because of how powerful it is. Thanks Michael. I hope to be able to meet you one day.
On Sundays I like to walk to my local grocery store to pick up any food items we need. I take my own bags and feel good that I am not driving my car. Today I stopped to look at the bulletin board outside the store and noticed this new organization with interesting events starting next week. I was pleasantly surprised to see Teacher With The Bus on the agenda. That guy, Jens-Peter Jungclaussen is definitely up to something and I applaud his drive and commitment to greening our planet. Check out the events coming up through econnovation. The first one is April 18th! I like that name too - econnovation - ecologic + economics + innovation. Inspirational.
'The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do' - Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple
Well, we're off to a slow start, but any start is a start and here we are starting up with start up again. Start it up, start me up. This start up is a startin' up.
Tonight was the finale of my Internet Marketing Now: New Tools and Trends course. I learned so much from the students. Being an instructor is really humbling and I just love it. Special thanks to all the students who made it such an enjoyable experience.
I have been looking for a few Christmas gifts recently and I am interesting in opportunities for green giving. From initial searches, I was quite disappointed with the sites that come up in Google searches. One that I do like is the TreeHugger's Green Gift Guide.
Went to work, took the train to Sunnyvale. Carpooled to San Jose. Dinner with friends and then went to the Carmina Burana at the San Jose Ballet! Wow! I never knew ballet could be so entertaining. What a performance! I was inspired by the sets, the music and the phemonenal athleticism of the ballet dancers. I wonder if we could get someone to teach ballet. I think it would be a blast.
Struggling to find something to post about at the last minute while my spouse is nagging me to come to bed... I look at the Southern Wilderness Alliance web site and see and link to Women Protecting Wilderness. Since I am reading Microtrends: The Small Forces Behind Tomorrow's Big Changes by Mark Penn and E. Kinney Zalesne at the moment, and learned that women outnumber men, I am pleased to see a few interesting bullet points about why women are so powerful, not only in protecting wildness, but also in other areas.
Quoting from the web page directly: "
Women comprise a majority of registered voters.
Women make as much as 85% of all consumer purchases.
Women are the most important educators in society, both as teachers where we dominate the profession, and as parents where we still outnumber men.
Women are starting new businesses at a faster rate than men.
We should feel empowered by these facts. We have a tremendous influence in the marketplace, in the business world, at the polls, and in the next generation. We have the power to create the world we want to see in the future. The best first step is to start deciding what kind of future we want. What do we want the future of our public lands to be? We need to start the conversation! "
From the Art of Engagement Online Conference, I was interested in Beverly Naidus' request for stories about how people become socially engaged artists.
I knew I loved teaching, but I didn't know how much. As an instructor looking through my students assignments (blogs) makes me feel proud, inspired and humbled all at the same time. The students are amazing. Their courage to write intensely personal life celebrations, sharing what's important and learning through exploration, reminds me why I teach. I teach, because I love to learn. I teach because I am inspired by what unfolds, by the dynamic nature of the community, by the passion and enthusiasm of the students. I am truly fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to be able to share my knowledge and learn from others. I hope you will join me in this wonderful adventure with Classes for Causes. Teach a class or take one, the cause is worth it, and you'll have a blast.
I am teaching a class called Internet Marketing Now: New Tools and Trends for San Francisco State University's College of Extended Learning. I am teaching the students about blogging and how to become an effective blogger. In order to teach them the discipline of regular posting, I created an assignment that they post to their blogs every day for two weeks. It is working well for the class and it is helping me to post something to my blogs daily as well. This is something I struggle with, but the assignment gets me over the writers block. Perhaps I should create assignments for the other things that I struggle to find time to do everyday as well.
What assignment would you give your class that would help them and at the same time help you accomplish your goals?
We're all hungry for something. Hungry for knowledge, hungry for attention, hungry for food, hungry for love. At my first Symphony Parnassus concert today I realized that teaching and learning is everywhere. The conductor, Stephen Paulson gave a short presentation about Sibelius's 7th Symphony and his passion for the music was contagious. People are eager to learn in almost every setting, concert hall, soccer field, grocery store, and mountain top. Here's a site that helps you improve your vocabulary while donating rice - http://www.freerice.com.
Care to share other similar sites? Post a comment below. Thanks.
Look to GOOD instead of GOOG. GoodSearch gives money to charities every time you search or shop online using their search engine. It's a Good concept and it's doing Good. Good can't be bad, so it's all Good. It's all about Good and Good and Good.
Click on the ad to give GoodSearch a test drive. Thanks to Kiska for the referral.
MD is a good friend and someone who inspired me to teach. She taught me Flash at SFSU's Multimedia Studies Program in the early days of the Internet, in the late 1990's. She was and is an excellent teacher and a lot of my teaching style is the result of my admiration for what she did in those Flash I, Flash II and Flash Online classes. Unfortunately she doesn't teach at the MSP anymore, but I will always fondly admire and aspire to her:
* Outstanding course materials meticulously prepared * Exuberant amounts of energy and patience * Encouragement of trying, failing and starting over. (It REALLY IS always faster the second time around.) * Passion for the subject, the conversation and the education * Dedication to the students and the technology
Cheers, MD! Best wishes and many thanks. You are an inspirational teacher and I'm honored to be one of your former students.
In this class I am having my students create their own blogs and I am really excited about what they are doing with the project. Today Michaela referred me to a site called 6billionothers.org from her new blog. What a honor it is to be teaching like minded students and colleagues. 6 Billion Others is an experimental project by Yann Arthus Bertrand. He says "Every single person has something interesting to say. And every single person has a right to say it even if they don't know it." That's what blogging is about too. It's your right to tell your story, to share your passion, to speak your peace.
When I thought of the project for the class I had no idea that this month is National Blog Posting Month (NaBloPoMo.) The assignment is to post to your blog once a day from the beginning to the end of the class, which is November 5th through 19th. However, since I am taking on the NaBloPoMo as well, I will be posting daily.
They say that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit. Here's to making the habit of daily posting on the Classes for Causes blog, because I believe we can all make a difference, all 6 billion of us, one person at a time.
I am grateful for the opportunity to teach, for in the teaching I am learning.
At Microplace, you can invest your money in someone in a third world county, someone poor, but hardworking. The key is that you are investing, because you get a return on your investment. Loan someone $100 and get 3% or $103 in return. That's free money for you and you're helping someone in need.
Step 1: You purchase an investment on MicroPlace that provides the opportunity to earn a financial return.
Step 2: Your investment dollars are used to provide loans to the working poor.
Step 3: The working poor use their loans to build businesses. They repay their loans and pull themselves out of poverty!
Sound too good to be true? Check it out for yourself at MicroPlace.
Nelson Mandela urges us to "Be The Great Generation" and calls world leaders to act at the G8 summit and not to hesitate. "Poverty is not natural, it is man-made." www.makepovertyhistory.org/video
Also check out The One Campaign. Together we can make poverty history, one person at a time. Give.
Things don't always go exactly the way you expect them to.
I planned a party (Late Birthday, Post Halloween, Early Holiday, Fundraiser on a Veggie-oil Powered Schoolbus - http://www.teacherwiththebus.org) for November 3rd and invited about 75 people. 11 people accepted, 24 couldn't make it and I didn't hear from most of the rest.
No big deal right? Well considering I was hiring the bus, had already paid my $350 deposit and needed to entertain my guests, the fundraiser with only 11 people turned into quite an expense. I had two choices: One, go forward with the event and spend about $700 in addition to the $440 raised from event ticket sales, (fees for the bus hire, food, alcohol, prizes) or two, cancel the event having spent $350. I chose the latter and I am sad and disappointed.
What did I learn? I learned that I need to call people instead of relying on email and an Evite. I learned that just because you send an Evite, doesn't mean everyone on the list will receive it. Several people reported that they had not received it when I emailed and called to follow-up. I learned that I should send more invitations. If my acceptance rate is 10% I need to send 350 invitations for the next event. I learned that more advance notice is better. Two weeks is not enough. I learned that you can't ever please everyone. There will always be someone who can't make it. I learned that thinking big means falling hard. I learned that I have friends who are there to catch me when I fall. I learned I can't do it all, alone. I learned to be humble. I learned to be simple. I learned that next time will be better.
Never stop learning. Learning is living. Live and learn and learn to REALLY live.
"So much of modern culture is characterized by stories of self-indulgence and self-destruction. So much of modern politics is focused not on honest differences of policy but on personal attacks. So much of modern media is dominated by people who earn fortunes by demeaning others, defining them by their worst moments, exploiting their agonies. Who's happier? The uniters or the dividers? The builders or the breakers? The givers or the takers? I think you know the answer. There's a whole world out there that needs you, down the street or across the ocean. Give." -- Bill Clinton at the end of his most recent book: "Giving: How Each of Us Can Change the World"
I recently finished Mastery - The Keys to Success and Long Term Fulfillment by George Leonard. I loved it. It is a quick read and it's all about staying on the path of learning, practicing and mastering your craft. It is very much what we are about at Classes for Causes - lifelong learning, learning no matter what age you are and sharing your knowledge through teaching.
A favorite quote from the book:
"To learn is to change. Education, whether it involves books, body, or behavior, is a process that changes the learner. It doesn't have to end at college graduation or at age forty or sixty or eighty, and the best learning of all involves learning how to learn - that is, to change."
If we can all learn to change we can start global cooling. By learning to change we can spread the word about how small changes make all the difference. By learning to change we can adapt and create a world that is beautiful and sustainable.
Sars over at Tomato Nation is doing great things. Her Donors Choose Challenge has pulled in over $30,000 in less than two days. Just think about that for a moment. People all over the world have joined together to raise over THIRTY THOUSAND dollars for schools in less than 48 hours, because a blogger asked them to. It's a heartwarming example of the fact that perfect strangers can exceed your expectations if you only give them a chance. It's also a testimony to the power of blogging: you can reach an almost unlimited audience and galvanize them into doing great things, if you have the guts and the charisma to lead the way.
Bravo, Sars. The world needs more trailblazers like you.
I recently received this message in an email and I have no idea who the sender is. Yes, you might say this was a spam message, but if so, it is one of those happy accidents. The message is beautiful. Live everyday as if it were your last for one day you're sure to be right. =|=|=|=
A92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed
each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably coiffed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursinghome today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.
"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented w ith a new puppy.
"Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait." "That doesn't have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged... It's howI arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the dayinbed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing." Remember the five simple rules tobe happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply.
I am in a running group in San Francisco. The group's founder and coach is one of the most selfless, giving, generous, friendly, caring and upright people I know. He is at the track every Wednesday night, rain or shine even though he is not running. He is there just to be there for the group, to give us the workout and offer moral support as we carry out his instructions. He is also always available to answer questions and offer advice and coaching during the rest of the week. He is a coach, a friend and a downright special guy. Oh did I mention he does all of this for free?
Consistency and routine is everything. Every Wednesday coach Joe sends an email to everyone in the group with a motivational quote, sometimes congrats to various people who have completed recent races and general fun facts about the group and running. It makes for a great community. I look forward to receiving my Wednesday morning email every week, even though I may not be attending track that evening. And I know people all over the country look forward to it too. People stay on the list even after moving out of San Francisco!
This is an example of someone doing something purely for the love of it. Joe loves running. He runs, but he also helps others advance in the sport and he gives his time to further the benefit of others both in physical fitness and also in his contributions to various charities including the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team In Training. Joe was my coach for my first marathon and he ran me in at the finish line. I raised $2,650 from friends, colleagues and family and running that first marathon was a major lifetime achievement. I have run two more marathons since then and with the help of Joe and the pints at the pub after our speed workouts I hope to run many more. It's about community, passion and doing what you love.
Create classes Create community Create groups Create things Create interest Create courses Create awareness Create inspiration Create participation
Connect with peers Connect to your cause Connect through passion Connect with love Connect to others interested in the same things you are Connect to your creativity Connect to your community
Contribute your skills Contribute to cause Contribute knowledge Contribute time Contribute money Contribute passion Contribute and give Contribute chocolate chip cookies Contribute eduction Contribute learning Contribute change
Today on NPR, former President Clinton endorsed an organization that makes it easy for all people to make a difference. KIVA is an organization that allows you to loan money to the working poor. Your money helps a business owner move forward and they then pay back your loan. I think this is a great idea and so do lots of other people too. In fact due to a recent mention on the Oprah Winfrey show KIVA currently has a shortage of businesses that need funding! How cool is that?
Today I spent the day at the Craigslist Foundation's Non-profit Bootcamp and it was incredibly powerful. Educate Empower Connect is their mission and I feel like that is really what we are up to with Classes for Causes as well. I talked with a bunch of people and they were all very encouraging and thought the idea was really good. It is not going to be easy, but it will be worth it and I think we'll learn a lot and have some fun along the way too.
A very special person sent me a link to monodonation.com today. Their idea is very similar to Classes for Causes because they are enabling people to create their own T-shirts and purchase them, while at the same time donating to a charity. You have to watch the video stories to really understand the concept, so do it now.
Hallelujah! We finally have a name. We went from the original "Courses for Causes" idea around in a big circle all the way back to "Classes for Causes." Keeping it simple and succinct is key.
Yesterday I secured the domains and a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. We can finally move forward with the logo and web site design. I can't wait to see how it all turns out. Stay tuned.
Tonight was our first board meeting and I can't tell you how excited and inspired I am. Our directors bring fresh ideas and a level of enthusiasm for the project that I am extremely grateful for. I anticipate a lot of momentum being created by the communications team over the next few weeks. Hooray!
"For anyone who feels stifled or stuck in their life, I say break down those barriers of indecision. Never let anyone set your personal or professional agenda. Live every day with the passion of your last. If I can inspire both women and men in anything it would be that age is just a number, not a death sentence. Wake up every morning with a plan and a dream. If you do, like me, dreams do still come true in your 40s and beyond!"
